June 9 Thursday – Sam went with a party by train to West Point for graduation festivities, otherwise known as “June Week.” The group included Joseph Twichell, General Sherman, Secretary of War Robert Lincoln (son of Abraham Lincoln) and a dozen others. On the way to the Point, Sam and Sherman engaged in some fun “whistle-stop” speeches, with Sam putting on Sherman’s uniform and speaking from the caboose platform until someone recognized him and the joke was up. They made several stops with Sam “warming up” the crowd followed by a speech from Sherman and sometimes Lincoln. The party arrived at 6 PM at Dutchess Junction on the Hudson River above West Point. From the Junction a special steamer brought them downstream to the military academy’s South Dock. They were welcomed there by General Oliver O. Howard and staff.

Later in the evening Sam attended the alumni dinner in Schofield Hall with 61 graduates, including two ex-Confederate generals, “Fighting Joe” Wheeler (USMA 1859) and Milo T. Polk (USMA 1852). Sam did not speak on this trip [Leon 54-5].

Charles Webster wrote to Sam about an offer of $1,000 from Slote and his American Kaolatype stock to settle the dispute over what was owed on the Scrap Book sales [MTP].